Nevin Mindlin: My vision for Harrisburg

We talk about how much better it has come to look through the years with the new construction and new institutions in place in the downtown and in parts of midtown.

In reality, Harrisburg is not simply the dimensions of its space; Harrisburg is a community of people who live and work together, a family of sorts.

Photo by Sean Simmers, The Patriot-News
The real health of a city is reflected in the health of the community that resides within its boundaries.

The construction that we have experienced provides a good foundation upon which Harrisburg can build a truly vibrant community to fully realize the vision of what we can be.

Judging from the many conversations I have had with the people of Harrisburg on the streets of our neighborhoods and on their front stoops, I envision for the future that: People will feel safe to walk the streets of their neighborhoods, without fear of being mugged or hit by a stray bullet.

The streets will be clean; there will be good sidewalks and trees; people will not fear that the house next to them will fall on their children or their property; and people will be able to shop at new stores and services in their neighborhoods without the need to drive to the suburbs to get the things they want. The number of our fellow citizens in poverty will be noticeably less, and our people will have real jobs and economic opportunity to sustain them.

The school system will have improved sufficiently to retain or attract young parents who want to live and work here.

Harrisburg will have walkable, livable neighborhoods into which there will be a migration of new folks who would prefer to live in the place where they work, spend their money on arts and entertainment possibilities rather than on their automobiles, and enjoy living in a city with a waterfront, parks and sociable neighbors. I also would expect to see a city with its finances under control, and, perhaps even, its tax rates stabilized with the foreseeable possibility of a reduction.

The downtown will begin to grow again with an influx of businesses and business owners who would prefer to be closer to the center of economic activity, driven by a city that is more affordable, that is not over-regulated, and that has an increasing number of residents who want to live and do business here.

Last, but not least, Harrisburg’s government will operate effectively and efficiently, and people will be proud of their elected city officials, who work civilly with one another and openly with their community.

And so, at the end of my first term, I would expect to see a vibrant, optimistic community of people who speak far more about the possibilities ahead of us than the problems facing us.

I would expect to see a community of people who have engaged in serious conversations with one another, through a process that was facilitated by the city to comprehensively outline the community we are all willing to work together to create.

Not one of us can — or has the right to — do this alone, not even the mayor.